repower 23 cc inboard

[jv20sf]

just recieved a 79 23cc inboard with no motor or tranny. was looking to see if anyone has used a ford 302 with a borg warner 1.0-1trany if so what was the performance.

[ScottM]

I don't have any real world experience here but I would guess you'll get a high teens cruise and low to mid-20s WOT (knots). Not sure about fuel burn. If memory serves me correctly (and hopefully Fr. Frank will confirm), that engine was rated anywhere from 180 to 225hp depending on configuration so you're on the low end for power in this setup.

[MarkR]

My guess is the 302 with a 2-barrel carb is 190-200Hp.

most of the inboards have 350ci, 4-barrel for 260Hp resulting in 19knts cruise and 30knts WOT.

[riprunner]

A 350 is the minimum size I would put in a 23 inboard. A 302 just won't be enough, I'm thinking a 15 knot cruise and not much over 20knots WOT.

[pelican]

A 350 is the minimum size I would put in a 23 inboard. A 302 just won't be enough, I'm thinking a 15 knot cruise and not much over 20knots WOT.

gotta agree...no way...not enough...

[BigLew]

The hulls are rated for 4-500 HP. 300+ HP is pretty much the minimum now that those kind of power ratings are readily available from the 350 block. The bigger blocks bring bring their own set of problems/challenges.

But the 350's are pretty straight forward these days, so why not do it. The hull will love you and your banker will love you. What could be better!

[Fr. Frank]

A 350 is the minimum size I would put in a 23 inboard. A 302 just won't be enough, I'm thinking a 15 knot cruise and not much over 20knots WOT.

It depends on the power the Ford small block is putting out. A 302ci putting out 300hp is better than a 200 hp 350ci. The 302 Ford is a strong motor, properly set up.

[pelican]

old saying my friend...

"there's no replacment for displacement"

a merc 350 magnum mpi - puts out 300hp,matched with a hurth/zf gear cost is approx $11k complete,drop it in...fresh water cooled,3yr warranty and a option for an extended warranty-parts readily available...

23' is alot for that ford engine to push-plus,1:1 gear ?

gonna cost a few bucks to get the same peformance with that 302...one thing i've never heard,is a boat owner complain of "too much power"...that engine trying to shove a 23' boat,full of fuel,and a couple of guys offshore,is gonna need to be ran almost full bore,and,with that small wheel-1:1 drive,that rig's gonna get passed by sea turtles,and,suck fuel like a jet...

that rig with that merc package-it's gonna give you great performance,as well as fuel efficiency-it's gonna push that rig at a real nice cruise speed-without laboring to put it on plane with a load...

[ct9amr]

With parts getting harder to find for the 302/351 your probably better off putting a 350 in there. The mounts and shaft may be another issue and you will need to look at re-propping it.

Torque is what you really want to measure not HP.

[Fr. Frank]

With parts getting harder to find for the 302/351 your probably better off putting a 350 in there. The mounts and shaft may be another issue and you will need to look at re-propping it.

Torque is what you really want to measure not HP.

The parts are a real consideration. And it's true that torque output is what puts you on plane. But don't disparage the small-block Ford. Most were 175-225 hp in cars and trucks, but the stock 302ci 210hp small block installed in the Ford Thunderbird in the mid 90's put out 290 ft-lbs of torque, compared with the 350ci 230hp motor of the same period by Chevrolet which produced only 265 ft-lbs of torque.

(Both the 302 Ford and 350 Chevrolet motors are capable of reliably producing 350-375hp and 350 ft-lbs of torque without wildly extravagant setups thanks to modern materials and electronics.

I must confess, however, after all of that, the the Chevy/GM motors do seem to be more durable.